


The Haunting

by kethni



Category: Veep
Genre: F/M, Halloween, Spoof, Spooky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-29 06:27:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5118563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kethni/pseuds/kethni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's something in the darkness and it's not happy to be disturbed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A little silly story for Halloween

 

The dark clouds were thickening and the birdsong had died away. Inside the bus an uneasy silence had fallen. Kent frowned as he tried to concentrate on his novel. The jolting as the bus struggled over the narrow, pebble-strewn trail was giving him a headache.

‘I can’t get a signal.’

Kent didn’t look up. He thought it was Amy who had muttered but they had all said it before. As if saying it could change anything. The mountains were majestic, but they were also a nightmare for cell phone reception. Privately, Kent wondered if the vice president had known that. She was supposed to be joining them tomorrow but she had been champing at the bit for some time to herself. He wouldn’t put it past her to think putting them incommunicado overnight would prevent ‘interference.’

The bus screamed like a trodden on cat, and stopped. Suddenly. Inertia threw cells, bottle water, and books into the aisle. It knocked luggage from the overhead bins. It dropped Miss Wilson into Kent’s lap.

‘Hello,’ he said. Then, feeling something more was required, added, ‘where did you come from?’

‘I was leaving the restroom,’ she said.

She was still sat in his lap.

Around them the other staffers were scrambling to get their belongings from the jumble in the aisle.

‘Ah,’ he said.

‘Have we crashed?’

‘No, I believe that we’ve merely broken down.’

She put her hand on his shoulder to lever herself up. He offered her his other hand, and shivered at the warmth of her skin.

***

Kent stretched as he climbed down off the bus. It had broken down amid thick foliage that bristled about them. Branches stretched out overhead while suppurating fruit littered the ground amongst the thick, fibrous roots erupting from the dark earth.

‘This is why I hate the country,’ Dan said, stepping gingerly around the handful of feathers and bones that remained of an unlucky owl.

Ben banged on the side of the bus and addressed the red-faced driver. ‘How long until you fix this bucket of bolts?’

‘Look pal, I’m a driver not a mechanic. I don’t have a signal. So, I gotta hike back until I get one, then call for a mechanic…’

Kent consulted the amateurish map on the visitor information booklet. The cabins looked to be perhaps half a mile away, or a little more.

‘Maybe we should start walking,’ Jonah suggested.

‘Oh good idea, moron, that’s exactly how every horror movie starts,’ Mike sneered.

Amy held up her hand. ‘Now, be fair, Mike. The virgin always survives the horror movie, so Jonah would be fine.’

Kent pulled out his suitcase and hoisted it onto his shoulder.

‘Dragging my luggage halfway to the ass of beyond is horror enough,’ Ben grumbled. ‘Where the fuck are you going?’

‘The cabins.’ Kent glanced at his watch. ‘It’s almost eight. I’m not sleeping here but you may with my blessing.’

Miss Wilson nodded and carried her bag across to him. She was dressed quite practically in jeans, hiking shoes, a tailored flannel shirt, and a lightweight waterproof jacket. Even dressed down as she was, Kent had to admit that she was luminous. He had flown his flag, perhaps a little prematurely, and she had neither repelled him nor invited him aboard. He thought, he _hoped_ , that she hadn’t made a decision yet.

He was less pleased when Jonah and Mike joined them.

‘Try not to get eaten by bears,’ Mike said to Gary.

‘Yeah, I’m sure the woods are full of animals that can rip open a bus,’ Gary said.

Miss Wilson leant forward. ‘But you’re not _in_ the bus, Gary,’ she said. ‘You’re out in the open where absolutely any passing creature can carry you off for dinner.’

‘Okay that’s…’ Gary grabbed his suitcase. ‘I’m waiting in the bus.’

‘Nicely done, Sue,’ Dan sniggered.

She looked at Kent. ‘Too mean?’

He shrugged. ‘He’s better in the bus.’

***

 ‘I can’t see the bus anymore,’ Jonah said, turning and walking backwards.

‘Gee, Bigfoot, I’d have thought seeing in the dark would be right up your street,’ Mike said.

Kent felt rather than saw Miss Wilson look at him.

‘Are you using the North Star?’ she asked.

‘As a reference but it should be a simple route,’ he said. ‘I think I see the cabins.’

In the silvery half-light he saw her turn her head to look.

‘We’ll be able to pick the best,’ she said.

‘I hate camping,’ Mike grumbled. ‘I always get stuck with the cabin that has wonky plumbing or busted electrics.’

Kent saw her shake her head.

‘Do you enjoy camping?’ he asked.

Miss Wilson paused as she moved the handle of her suitcase from one hand to the other. ‘This is not camping. Camping is sleeping in a tent, soaking wet, freezing cold, or swelteringly hot while mosquitoes eat you alive. Camping is hacking the lid off a tin of beans and cooking them badly over a fire that is too small.’

Kent looked across at her. ‘You appear to have rather a poor experience.’

‘No. I had dozens of poor experiences.’ She moved the handle again.

He meant to offer to take her case. It took him a moment to gather his nerve and then… well. He forgot to speak and instead simply reached for the handle.

He felt rather than saw her sharp look. But she relinquished the handle.

‘Would you…’ he said. ‘Should I…’

Miss Wilson said, ‘Yes. Please do.’

‘Okay,’ said Jonah. ‘I can definitely see the cabins now.’

Kent sighed. Then he felt Miss Wilson’s fingers brush the side of his hand. A brief touch. Deliberate. It made him feel quite dizzy.

***

Something touched Kent’s cheek as they reached the cabins.

‘Oh great, snow,’ Mike said. ‘I bet my cabin roof has a hole in it.’

‘I bet that can be arranged,’ Jonah muttered to him. ‘Why are there only four cabins?’

There were indeed only four cabins. Squat wooden buildings with dark windows and barren, cold chimneys.

‘Hey Sue,’ Jonah said. ‘Wanna share a cabin?’

‘I would rather sleep in the snow,’ she said crisply.

The keys were hidden in a birdfeeder behind the nearest cabin. Kent untangled them and held them out.

‘Has anyone already agreed to share?’ he asked.

‘I guess you and Amy will share,’ Mike said to Sue. ‘Girls together. I often wonder what women do when they’re alone together.’

‘Like a pillow fight,’ Jonah suggested. ‘They’re in little lacy nighties and –’

‘That is not what women do when we’re alone together,’ Miss Wilson said severely. ‘Is that what men do?’

‘Well not while wearing little lacy nighties,’ Mike said, shaking his head sadly.

‘Thank heaven for small mercies,’ Kent snorted. 

                                                                                                       ***

 The snow was beginning to settle on the ground as they reached the cabin doors. Kent had chosen the first cabin and Sue the second. The cabins were a few feet apart but when he let himself in there was a profound silence that promised heavy sound insulation. He had no idea if that was usual. The only time that he’d been camping had been in a tent when he was a boy scout. He didn’t remember much about it other than a cow pushing her head through the flap when he was getting dressed. He’d mostly stuck out boy scouts in order to become a sea scout.

It had been a long and uncomfortable journey. Kent shucked off his shoes and headed to the shower. He’d have preferred a bath but the cramped, tile-lined room, barely had enough room for the furniture crammed inside.

No window. It was one of the things he always hated about hotels. They also felt so claustrophobic. He undressed and used his neatly stacked clothes to prop the bathroom door open. At some point in the next few hours the others were going to arrive and someone was going to demand to share the cabin. None of the options were remotely appealing.

But not for a while yet. He had time to shower and work out which bed was the more comfortable.

Kent turned the water on and neatly placed his toiletries on the shelves. He should’ve brought that nice scent with him. The one that his sister bought him for Christmas. He shook his head at himself in the mirror. Ridiculous. She’d touched his hand. That was all. _Don’t get carried away, Davison._

Steam was swirling around the room. Kent stepped under the shower and closed his eyes. He had no intention of going on the hunting party tomorrow. Honestly he couldn’t think of much worse than spending an entire day than attempting to murder an animal, any animal. It was partly an attempt of Selina’s to curry favour with the huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’ set but mostly to explore her own recent passion for firearms.

 Kent rolled his shoulders as warm water poured down his skin. He’d skip the hunting. It wasn’t as if she’d need or particularly want Kent’s company. He’d be quite happy to spend the day reading. Frankly, it’d be one of the pleasanter weekends that he’d had recently.

Miss Wilson read classical novels. He’d seen them on her desk although he’d never caught her with one open. He was currently enjoying a Patrick O’Brian, although more for the research than the characterisation or plot, if he was honest. It probably wouldn’t be something that she’d be interested in discussing. He’d didn’t really have anything to talk to her about besides…

The bathroom door slammed shut. Kent spun around. He wiped water from his eyes as he pulled back the shower curtain. The bottles he’d carefully put out had been knocked over. The mirror was cracked. _What the hell?_

There was no glass on the floor but Kent put down a towel and stepped cautiously onto it. His clothes were nowhere to be seen. If the door had slipped, then surely his clothes would’ve been pushed further inside the room?

He edged out of the bathroom and looked into the corridor. It was empty and silent. Kent was about to return to the bathroom when he noticed that there was a small white rectangle on the floor by the front door.

Kent wrapped a towel around his waist and padded along to the door, shivering slightly in the sudden cold. He was going to have to build a fire, something he hadn’t done in years. _You never had to do these things in a boat._

It was a folded piece of paper. When he turned it over he saw _Kent_ written on it in Sue’s neat cursive writing. He put it aside and quickly dried his hands on the towel before unfolding the paper.

_Kent,_

_Please join me for a hot toddy at your convenience,_

***

The pickup truck struggled slowly through the deepening snow. There were no streetlights here and the moon was overcast. The truck’s headlamps did little but shade the darkness into a variety of grey shadows. Somewhere in the solid blackness beyond the windows, a coyote howled.  

As the truck turned a corner, the headlamps picked out the suddenly looming shape of the bus. The pickup truck skidded and skewed across the snow, coming to a halt a few feet from the bus.

The truck door creaked open as the driver climbed out. He’d been told that the bus driver and some of the passengers were waiting with the bus. But as he trudged through the pristine snow, he saw that the bus was dark and silent.

‘Hello?’

He opened the door and clambered up the steps. No driver. No passengers. Nothing but a few empty drink cans and a couple of abandoned newspapers.

***

Kent sank knee-deep into the snow. It was soft and powdery. As he fought through it, he noticed faintly that his and Miss Wilson’s were the only footprints visible. Evidently Mike and Jonah had holed up in their cabins. Ben and the others were going to struggle to make it through if they couldn’t get the bus fixed. He didn’t envy them being stuck without heating or light, but they’d made their choice.

‘Hello,’ Miss Wilson said, opening the door to let him in.

‘Hi. Uh. I brought this.’ Kent said, holding out the small bottle of bourbon.

‘Excellent.’

She was wearing a thigh-length, off-the-shoulder, praline brown cashmere dress. Kent felt quite underdressed in his wool shirt but Miss Wilson didn’t seem to mind. He followed her into the living room and took off his overcoat.

‘You look… Uh…’ Kent licked his lips. ‘That dress works for you.’

‘Thank you,’ she said.

‘Looks warm, too,’ he said. ‘Very… practical.’ Kent was already wondering if it was a poor choice of words before he said it. However, Miss Wilson merely nodded.

‘I brought whiskey,’ she said, ‘but bourbon is better.’

‘The weather is worse than I was expecting.’

‘It wasn’t forecast.’ She added the bourbon to the glasses she’d already prepared. ‘I like the cold.’ She handed Kent a glass.

‘The most pleasurable part of the cold is being wrapped up warmly against it.’

Miss Wilson smiled slightly. She walked across to the roaring fire and warmed herself in front of it. She looked across at him as he nervously sipped his drink.

‘I have a fantasy of making love in front of a roaring fire,’ she said.

Kent clutched his glass as he desperately scanned the room. ‘I am… intrigued by the possibilities of the sheepskin rug.’

She watched him over the lip of her glass as she sipped her drink. ‘Am I making you nervous, Kent?’

‘Yes, Miss Wilson.’ He gulped the rest of his drink and put the glass aside. ‘In a good way.’

She raised an eyebrow. ‘Sue.’

‘Sue,’ he agreed.

She put down her own glass and reached out to his shirt. She circled the buttons with her fingertips before unbuttoning the shirt from the collar down.

Kent looked down, watching the slim fingers trailing.

‘Now would be an appropriate time for you to kiss me,’ she said.

He tentatively rested his hand on her waist. ‘Ah. I sometimes have trouble with social cues.’

 Sue nodded. ‘Understood.’

He leant in timidly. The subtle smell of her perfume was dizzying but as his lips brushed against hers he felt her palm slip to the back of his neck.

With a crash, the door slammed open. Snow blew into the room and the wind whirled the pictures from the wall, smashing them onto the floor. Kent and Sue leapt for the door, fighting to shove it shut. Something _screamed_ and _screamed…_

And then the lights went out.

***

 


	2. Chapter 2

In the sudden silence, Sue took his hand and gripped it tightly. He could hear her breathing, swift and shallow. With his other hand Kent dug into his pocket and fumbled to pull out his keychain. His thumb found the button on the small flashlight and he turned it on, aiming it over towards the interior of the cabin.

The fire had blown out. Snow was melting on the floor. Glass from the broken pictures glinted on the rug. Books and ornaments had been thrown around the room yet, somehow, their two hot toddy glasses were sat untouched.

‘Can we go to your cabin?’ Sue asked. Her voice was low but shaking slightly. Kent admired her self-control.

‘Absolutely.’ He stood and offered her his hand. ‘Let me fetch your coat.’

‘I only have my jacket.’

Her hand was shaking. His hands were shaking. Kent pointed the flashlight up above her face so that he could see her without dazzling.

‘I’ll see if I can get the lights on,’ he said. ‘If you like we can pack your stuff. Get you over to my cabin instead. You don’t want to be trying to clear up this mess.’

Something passed across her face, it looked more like shame than relief or gratitude. Kent started to apologise but she waved her hand.

‘That would be kind,’ she said, ‘thank you.’

***

Sue held the flashlight as Kent reset the fuses. The lights flickered on slowly with a sickly orange hue.

‘They didn’t look like that before,’ she said.

‘I don’t like the look of the electrics,’ Kent agreed. ‘Uh, if you pack up your stuff I’ll get a fire built in my cabin. Get it cosy for you.’

Sue pursed her lips for a moment. Then she slid her hand into his. ‘The fire can wait.’

‘Uh. Sure.’ He gave her hand a small squeeze. ‘Actually, I don’t think I want to be on my own.’

She didn’t smile, but the expression in her eyes did soften slightly. ‘Don’t worry, Mr Davison, I won’t leave you.’

He followed her into the bedroom where she had already unpacked her suitcase and made the bed. Made the bed and peeled back the bedclothes. That assuaged the tiny niggling fear at the back of his mind. The fear that he’d somehow misunderstood. That he’d completely misjudged the situation.

‘Don’t look,’ she said severely, opening the chest of drawers. ‘This dress does _not_ get dragged through snow.’

‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ he said, turning to face the door.

A tree branch whipped against the window. Kent tensed at the sound. He was by no means a nervous man. Nonetheless he was currently feeling that he was one loud noise away from a heart attack. 

‘I need a drink,’ Sue said.

‘This will not be in my top ten relaxing weekends.’

He heard a rustling sound. Unbidden the image of lacy under things crossed his mind. Ridiculous. Although he honestly didn’t have _much_ romantic experience with women, particularly not for a man his age, he was a realist. He knew that ‘sexy’ underwear was certainly impractical and probably uncomfortable. He’d seen enough of his college housemates’ clothes hanging on the line to know that for every lacy bra there were three other plain and gently sagging ones. That for every dental floss g-string there were another five, strangely grey, shapeless briefs or boy shorts.

He heard her snort. ‘A hunting weekend,’ she said. ‘I will not be tramping through the woods. With or without a gun.’

‘In that we are entirely in agreement.’ He inclined his head as he heard her shut the clasps to the suitcase. ‘I find that the natural world has certain charms,’ he said. ‘The astonishing magnificence of a whale leaping from the sea. The stunning, sultry beauty of the amazon rainforest. What I do not find aesthetically pleasing is blasting holes in said charms.’

Sue’s fingers caught at his as she walked in front of him. She’d changed into jeans, a flannel shirt, and a cashmere sweater. ‘I’ve packed.’

‘Then it will be my pleasure to escort you to my cabin.’

***

The snow was now almost thigh deep and there was a bitter chill in the air. Kent held his coat out to her. Sue hesitated for a moment and then took off her jacket.

‘Thank you,’ she said, pulling on Kent’s coat.

‘Looks better on you,’ he said. 

She smiled slightly. ‘I’m not sure about that. Although I _am_ sure that there are other colours that would suit you better than grey.’

It was a struggle getting through the snow. Sue wrapped her arm around his and entwined their fingers. The other cabins were showing light escaping from the edges of the curtains. Nonetheless, Kent shivered. There was something strangely watchful about the silent darkness. Kent wasn’t given to flights of fancy or imagination, even when his nerves were rattled. Perhaps he had caught some faint animal sound. Smelt the slight scent of a predator on the prowl. 

Sue was looking at the other cabins. ‘Evidently Jonah and Mike are having a less eventful evening than we are.’  

‘True,’ Kent said, unlocking his cabin. ‘On the other hand they have to live with being who they are. I believe on that score we are ahead.’

As Sue was shaking the snow from her coat, Kent hurried to light the fire.

‘What do you believe caused that?’ Sue asked.

He shook his head. ‘I had a similar experience,’ he said. ‘While I was in the shower the door slammed shut, knocked over all my toiletries, and cracked the mirror.’

Sue rubbed her hands together. ‘That sounds beyond the bounds of probability.’

‘Especially as the door was shut.’ It took him a few minutes to build the fire. As he lit a match and held it to the kindling, he felt her hand rest gently on his shoulder.

‘Is that the time?’

Kent shook out the match and glanced at his watch. ‘I trust that the others are not still waiting for the pick-up truck.’ He stood. ‘Half the vice-president’s senior staff freezing to death would make for unfortunate headlines.’

Sue raised an eyebrow. ‘And people call you cold.’

‘I am actually somewhat concerned.’ Kent brushed off his hands.

Sue smoothed down his shirt. ‘They’re all grownups. As are we.’

She tugged Kent’s collar, just slightly. Just enough for him to take her meaning.

His hands slid around her waist as they kissed. Her skin was soft and warm.

Sue laughed softly. ‘Your beard tickles.’

‘Hmm,’ he murmured. ‘Apologies.’

‘I rather like it.’

He felt her unbuttoning his shirt. Should he do the same? He was never sure. Always worried about pushing too…

She moved his right hand to her shirt front. ‘Help a girl out.’

 ‘With alacrity.’ He fumbled the buttons. Suddenly clumsy. He could hear his own breathing. Feel his…

‘Open the door!’ Someone bellowed.

‘For God’s sake, let us in, let us in!’ Someone screamed as they thumped at the door.

Sue looked murderous. Kent was glad her expression wasn’t aimed at him.

‘I’ll try to get rid of them,’ he said, stomping away.

‘In a wood chipper if necessary,’ she said.

Kent drew back the bolts and was almost knocked over as the door was thrown open, disgorging Mike, Jonah, and several feet of snow into the cabin.

‘Shut it! Shut it!’ Mike scrambled to his feet.

‘What’re you doing?’ Kent demanded, forcing the door closed.

‘I’m not going back there.’ Jonah stood, brushing snow off his clothes. ‘I don’t know if that was real or some asshole who thinks he’s hilarious. I bet it was Egan. He’d think that trying to gaslight me would be the bomb.’

Sue crossed her arms. ‘Jonah, why aren’t you wearing shoes?’

He swept his fingers through his hair. ‘I took them off, Sue. A cabin is like a weekend apartment. Who wears shoes in their apartment?’

Kent shook his head. ‘Who runs through three feet of snow without shoes or a jacket?’

‘I’ll get a towel for you both,’ Sue said.

Mike, who was at least wearing shoes, shuffled towards the fire.

‘Okay, okay,’ Jonah said. ‘So maybe I panicked a little bit. But call me crazy, I’m not a fan of ghosts.’

‘You’re crazy,’ Kent said. ‘There are no such thing as ghosts.’

‘There was _something_ ,’ Mike said.  ‘Oh, thanks, Sue.’ He and Jonah started drying themselves off. ‘Didn’t you guys see anything? You must’ve heard.’

Jonah sat on the sofa to dry his feet. ‘Open your eyes, Mike. _Obviously_ they had other things on their minds.’

Their shirts were both open. Kent scowled as he did up his buttons.

‘Why are you here?’ Sue asked, as she did the same.

‘You didn’t hear all the screaming in our cabins?’ Mike asked.

‘No, Mike,’ she said. ‘We’ve all learnt to ignore your random screaming.’

Jonah rolled his eyes. ‘Anyway, the door blew open, all the lights went out, and then Mike came blundering in like Lassie with a lobotomy.’

‘I know what I saw,’ Mike snapped.

Kent rubbed his eyes. ‘Which was what, precisely?’

Mike opened and then closed his mouth. ‘I don’t know. But I saw it. There was a misty, white shape, sort of floating,’ he said with a hangdog expression. ‘And screaming. It was there for a couple of seconds. I got on my pants and –’

 ‘Your pants?’ Jonah asked. ‘Did you come busting into my cabin when you’d been jacking off? Holy shit. Can’t any of people control yourselves?’

Sue cuffed his ear.

‘Ow!’

She shrugged. ‘Apparently I can’t control myself.’

‘Jonah did you see this supposed spectre?’ Kent asked.

‘No sir.’

‘Did you see anything?’ Sue asked Kent.

‘No, neither time.’ He spread his hands. ‘I suspect this is a localised weather issue.’

Sue’s smooth brow crinkled as she frowned. ‘That seems possibly a little far-fetched.’

Mike clutched the towel. ‘Wait, this happened to you two as well?’

Kent sighed. ‘To some extent. However, we did not see any ghostly shape floating around.’

‘Your mirror broke,’ Sue said.  

‘True,’ he said. ‘Huh. This is the first time that I’ve been consciously reminded that Ben isn’t present. He would doubtless seize that fact with both hands.’

Mike wandered over to the window. ‘Geez, it’s bitter out there. Do you think they’re okay?’

Sue turned on her heel and looked around the room. ‘Is there a landline telephone here?’

Kent nodded. ‘I’m unsure of its functionality but I will check.’

Sue walked with him to the corner of the room. She folded her arms across her chest as he picked up the handset.

‘I’ll try to get rid of them when they’ve dried off,’ Kent said quietly.

Sue brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. He noticed that her hand was shaking. ‘I don’t want to stay here.’

Kent touched the side of her hand with his fingertips. A tentative movement. A delicate touch. He liked her but he didn’t _know_ her. She wasn’t a woman who invited emotional intimacy.

Sue’s mouth quirked a little at his touch. An attempt at a smile. Kent relaxed slightly.

‘I’ll see if the bus will take you back when it drops off Ben and the others,’ he said. ‘I’ll explain to Selina tomorrow.’

‘I would appreciate that.’

Kent cradled the handset to his ear as the phone rang. ‘Uh, yes. This is Kent Davison of the vice president’s office. Our chartered bus broke down a couple of hours ago. Several of our colleagues remained with the bus and we have yet to see or hear from them. That being said I require a status report from you.’

After a few minutes during which Kent’s frown deepened into a scowl, he put down the phone.

‘Well?’ Sue asked.

Kent shook his head as he let out a breath. ‘The pick-up driver reported back to the depot with the bus. Just the bus.’ He waved his hand. ‘Supposedly when he got to the bus there was no sign of the bus driver or anyone else.’

Sue blinked at him.

‘What does that mean?’ Jonah asked, turning towards them.

‘I believe that my meaning was entirely clear.’

Sue turned away, pressing her hand to her eyes.

‘It’s going to be okay,’ Kent said quietly, moving closer to her.

She glared at him for a moment, and then sighed. ‘I know. This situation is very… annoying. I spend enough time at work being annoyed without getting it here too.’

She was hugging her arms to her chest. If they’d been alone then he’d have risked putting his arm around her. But they weren’t.

‘I have a cousin who lives a few miles away,’ Kent said. ‘Let me call. Maybe they can come pick us up and let us stay overnight.’

‘Thank you.’

***

‘You’re sure that we can come too?’ Jonah asked.

‘It’s a military school,’ Kent growled. ‘As I have said four times already. There is room. Now go pack your belongings.’

Jonah hesitated. ‘Maybe I’ll swing by tomorrow and pick them up.’

Mike was making coffee. He looked over at them. ‘You chicken, Jonah?’

‘Excuse me? Who came running into _my_ cabin screeching about a ghost?’

‘I’m not the one –’

One by one the lights flickered off, plunging the cabin into darkness.

‘I am so tired of this melodrama,’ Sue’s voice said.

_Bang_

‘What was that?’ Mike hissed.

‘Front door,’ Kent said. He could feel Sue’s hand gripping his bicep. He hoped it was _her_ hand. ‘I’ll get it.’ He handed Sue his little flashlight.

_Bang_

Kent stumbled across the room. When he looked back he could see, in the tiny circle of dim light, that Jonah was holding a frying pan and Mike the teakettle. Sue was holding a knife.

_Bang_

Kent took a deep breath as he reached the door. No such thing as ghosts. A ghost wouldn’t knock. No such thing as ghosts.

He pulled back the bolt and opened the creaking door. Cold air knifed through the gap. Against the faint glimmer of the stars, a shadow of a man stood, then suddenly surged forward in a frenzy.

‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ he wailed through chattering teeth.

‘ _Gary_?’ Sue demanded incredulously. ‘What the fuck are you doing?’

Kent shoved the door closed and slammed home the bolt. ‘I think there are candles under the sink. I’ll try the fuse box again.’

Looking out of the window, he saw that the other cabins were dark. There were no other lights on the horizon. He wasn’t generally a betting man but he’d wager good money that it wasn’t the fuses this time.

***

Gary was too hysterical to question immediately. He huddled by the fire dressed in one of Kent’s t-shirts and a pair of his jeans, and wrapped in a comforter. There had only been a dozen candles and the little puddles of light left deep pools of shadow.

Sue sat down in front of Gary and gave him a mug of coffee. ‘Gary, get it together and tell us what happened.’

He was still very pale and shaking. Privately Kent was rather worried about hypothermia.

‘We have to go,’ Gary wailed. ‘We can’t stay here!’

‘Gary,’ Sue said again. ‘Look at me. Where are the others?’

He gulped his coffee. ‘It started snowing. Ben was getting really annoyed. He was arguing with the driver and snapping at Dan and me. Then there… We heard this… this screaming. It was awful.’

Kent and Sue exchanged a look.

‘Jesus, Gary, stop milking it,’ Mike snapped. ‘What happened?’

‘I’m not milking it!’

‘Yes, you are,’ Sue said. ‘Get on with it.’

Gary scowled. ‘I’ve had a terrible shock,’ he said gesturing with his cup.

‘We need to save the booze,’ Jonah said.

‘What for?’

Jonah pulled a face. ‘Uh, in case Mr Cafferty arrives,’ he said, as if it were obvious. ‘Do you want to be trapped with him overnight in a small, cold space with no alcohol?’

Sue frowned. ‘I hate it when you make sense.

‘They went out to see what the noise was,’ Gary said quietly. ‘Ben and Dan.’

Kent folded his arms. ‘You remained on the bus.’

‘Someone had to… stay with Amy,’ Gary protested.

Sue narrowed her eyes. ‘What a hero you are.’

‘Get to the point,’ Kent said to him.

‘Where was I up to?’

‘Dan and Mr Cafferty had gone to investigate the noise while you cowered on the bus like a little girl,’ Jonah said.

‘Less of the sexism,’ Kent said.

Gary took a deep breath. ‘That’s when it happened. This creature _threw_ open the doors to the bus and just… threw everything around. Amy and I had to hide under the table! It just went on and on. Then all of a sudden it stopped. Gary looked round at them. ‘Total silence. So we got out from under the able and went outside. That’s when we saw him. Lying there.’ Gary shook his head. ‘Dead. It was awful. We have to go!’

‘What?’ Kent asked flatly. ‘Who was dead?’

‘Ben. He had a heart attack of something,’ Gary said.

‘Are you joking?’

‘Jesus Christ, Gary!’

‘You can’t just announce someone is dead!’

‘Everyone stop talking at once!’ Gary cried.

‘Are you out of your mind?’ Kent demanded. ‘Why would you ramble on rather than say that at the start?’

Gary drew the blanket around him more tightly. ‘I thought you’d want all the facts.’  

Sue pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. ‘Was he definitely dead?’

‘I think I know a dead body when I see one,’ Gary scoffed.

‘So you didn’t check.’

Gary looked disgusted. ‘I’m not going to touch a dead body, Sue.’

Mike groaned. ‘You didn’t just leave him lying in the snow?’

‘No!’ Gary looked away. ‘Amy, Dan, and the bus driver carried him on to the bus.’

Kent put his hands on his hips. ‘So we’re no nearer to knowing what happened than we were before.’

‘I just told you what happened,’ Gary muttered. ‘These place is cursed or haunted or something. We have to go before it kills us all.’

Mike shook his head. ‘When the pick-up truck arrived the bus was empty. Nobody there. Not even Dead Ben.’

Gary tried to smooth down his hair. ‘After about half an hour later Ben’s body started moving so I… left the bus.’ He shrugged. ‘I got lost in the snow. It took me ages to find you guys.’

‘Oh, for Pete’s sake.’ Kent shook his head. ‘So having wrongly assumed that Ben was dead you then ran blindly into the snow when he started to recover.’

‘Christ,’ Mike muttered. ‘He really needs a hospital.’

‘ _Thank you_ ,’ Gary said in a martyred voice.

‘Not you, Ben.’

Kent waved his hand. ‘They probably managed to flag down a passing motorist or some such. Doubtless by now Ben is receiving the medical attention he needs.’

‘Do you honestly think that?’ Mike asked.

‘No,’ Kent said. ‘But I have no evidence either way.’

‘We could call the hospitals,’ Sue said.

Gary look up. ‘There’s a phone? Can we call for help? Can I call my girlfriend; she must be worried. What about you, Sue, did you call Sean?’     

Kent didn’t have to see her expression or hear her reply before he started to feel ill.

‘No,’ she said tightly. ‘I did not.’

‘Are you married, Sue?’ Jonah asked gleefully.

Her glare wiped the joy from his face.

‘I am not,’ she snarled.

‘Okay, geez.’

‘Did you unpack?’ Kent asked Jonah.

‘Uh…’

‘If you did not unpack then I’ll fetch your case,’ Kent said. 

Mike held out his key. ‘I didn’t unpack.’

‘You can’t go out there,’ Sue said quietly.

Kent snatched the key. ‘I need some air.’

Sue pursed her lips. ‘Jonah, go with him.’

‘I’m not…’

Kent didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. He was already putting on his coat and heading to the door. The cold air hit him like a solid wave but he lowered his face and forced his way through the snow. The tiny flashlight barely illuminated more than a few feet in front of him. He looked up. The moon and stars were obscured. That seemed fitting. He couldn’t see where he was going or where he’d been. It took a great deal to embarrass Kent. It hadn’t truly happened in years. It took a little less to wound him. It was his own fault. It had ridiculous to think that a woman like that would…

He heard breathing behind him. Fast, shallow breaths.

Kent increased his speed. He heard the breathing grow louder and ragged.

Something touched his arm.

‘Apparently I’m coming with you, Sir,’ Jonah huffed.

Kent backed off a step. It took him a moment to gather himself. ‘Wonderful.’

 

‘Can we get my stuff too?’ Jonah asked as Kent opened the door. ‘It’ll take like two minutes.’

‘Sure,’ Kent said sourly. ‘Why not?’

There were a handful of candles under the sink which Kent put around the living room while Jonah cowered in the corner of the room.

Mike’s suitcase was sprawled in the middle of the floor, but a selection of sandwiches and snacks were thrown haphazardly across the table, along with a bottle of wine.

‘Oh great! I am _starving_.’ Jonah loped across the room and devoured one of the sandwiches.

‘Better hope the ghost didn’t interfere with them,’ Kent said.

Jonah swallowed a mouthful of food. ‘Poisoning seems a little subtle for something that goes around screaming and breaking mirrors.’

Kent had to concede the point. He grabbed Mike’s suitcase and coat while Jonah scooped up the food and wine.

They braced themselves against the howling wind as they fought over to Jonah’s cabin.

‘I really wish I’d put my shoes on,’ Jonah said, shivering and cringing. ‘I didn’t want to come back out but Sue doesn’t take no for answer.’

 ‘I’m well aware,’ Kent said shortly.

Jonah’s cabin was a wreck. It looked to Kent as if a drunken bear had rampaged through.

‘Oh thank fuck, shoes!’

‘Dry your feet first or you’ll just end up with soaked shoes as well.’

‘Right, right.’

Kent wandered over to the fireplace. A framed photograph had fallen over. Kent picked it up: a photograph of a younger Jonah and an older woman.

‘This your mother?’ Kent asked.

Jonah nodded stiffly.

‘Nice picture,’ Kent said, handing it to him.

‘Oh.’ Jonah’s shoulder’s relaxed a fraction. ‘Dan would go to town about that.’

Kent shook his head. ‘I’m not Mr Egan.’   

The younger man threw the photograph into his suitcase. ‘He’d be banging on about being a mommy’s boy which is total bullshit. My mom is a pain in the ass. Parents need to learn that the world does not revolve around them. I have a career, _Mom_ , I can’t be worrying about your kidney problem or whatever the fuck you’re…’

He suddenly registered Kent’s expression and trailed off.

‘My mother has a heart condition,’ Kent said icily. ‘I am grateful for every single day that I have her.’

‘Uh. Yes, sir,’ Jonah muttered as he zipped up his suitcase. He swept his hair back from his face and smiled. ‘So, Sue, huh? Yeah, I’d tap that.’

Kent narrowed his eyes. ‘You are an appalling excuse for a human being.’

‘Um. Thank you. Sir.’

 

They were struggling to drag the suitcases through the snow when the door to Kent’s cabin opened. Mike was shoved through the door towards them. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder as he reached for his suitcase.

‘Fuck the ghost, I’m scared of Sue,’ he said.

Jonah shoved him aside to run into the relative warmth of the cabin. Kent stubbornly followed Mike inside and kicked the door shut. Sue was stood with her arms crossed. She took a step towards him. He took a step away.

‘Have they had a fight or something?’ Gary whispered loudly to Jonah.

Kent wheeled on his heel to face him. But the phone suddenly rang out, cutting across whatever he was going to say.

Sue marched across to the phone and snatched it up. ‘Yes? I see. Five minutes. Yes. Goodbye.’ She walked across to the coat stand and picked up her coat. ‘That was General Maxwell. Their bus will be here in approximately five minutes.’

‘You called in the army?’ Gary asked. ‘Soldiers can’t fight ghosts!’

‘Yes Gary,’ Sue said. ‘We called in the army because of a couple of loud noises.’

‘I’m going to check the other rooms,’ Kent said. ‘Tell me when they arrive.’

***

Outside the bus were a teenage girl and a middle-aged man, both wrapped up warmly against the cold. The man was speaking on a satellite phone in a clipped tone and had his back to them.

‘Jesus, Gary,’ Jonah said, calling back into the cabin. ‘Will you hurry up?’

‘Five minutes!’

‘If Gary takes much longer I think we need to leave without him,’ Jonah said seriously. ‘Before the ghost comes back.’

‘Ghost?’ the girl asked. ‘What do you mean ghost?’ she turned to the man. ‘This is way spooky, Joe.’

General Maxwell put away the phone and turned to the girl. ‘There is certainly not a ghost. Start stowing the luggage. I’ll help you momentarily.’

‘Yes sir.’

Maxwell watched her take Sue’s bag and begin hauling it around the other side of the coach. ‘I’m afraid that Kelly is somewhat shaken up.’ He squared his shoulders. ‘We found someone in the snow. One of your lost compatriots, perhaps.’ He nodded at the bus. ‘He’s at the back.’

 ‘I don’t want to know.’ Kent shook his head, and climbed up into the bus. As Maxwell and Kelly moved the luggage to the storage compartment on the other side of the bus, Gary flew out of the cabin and up the steps.

There was a shape at the back of the bus. A body, covered with a blanket. Kent stopped when he saw it and found a seat near the front.

‘What’s that?’ Gary asked, sitting near the back.

‘They found someone dead in the snow,’ Kent said.

‘Oh my God,’ Gary moaned, hiding in the corner of his seat. ‘We’re going to die.’

‘Shut up,’ Kent said.

‘And why does the bus have the name of a school on the side?’

‘Because it’s a bus from a school, moron,’ Mike said.

‘But Sue said he was a general…’

‘Retired general,’ Kent interrupted. ‘Now commandant of a military school.’

‘Aren’t we going to check who is it?’ Mike asked quietly. ‘Looks too slim for Ben.’

Kent dropped into his seat. ‘Be my guest.’

They spread out among the seats. Mike hovered by the body at the back. Almost touching the blanket but not quite.

Kent became aware that someone was standing next to his seat. He looked up and just as quickly looked away.

‘Would you move over?’ Sue asked.

‘Find another seat,’ Kent said.

‘I’ll sit on your lap if I must.’

He was in no mood to find that amusing. So he moved across and looked out of the window into the darkness beyond.

‘Let’s go. Let’s go,’ Gary muttered quietly.

Kelly and Maxwell climbed up into the bus and took their seats.

Mike stepped back. ‘I wish I knew who it was.’

‘Shit or get off the pot, Mike,’ Jonah said.

‘Mr Ryan!’ Kent snapped. ‘Watch your language. There is a young girl present.’

Jonah leant out of his seat to look at Kelly, sat up at the front of the bus. ‘She doesn’t look that young to me. There’s grass on that field.’

‘Sit back and shut up or you will be walking home,’ Kent said sharply.

The bus tyres squealed as they fought for purchase in the snow. The bus headlights briefly illuminated the cabins as the bus turned, and then they shone into the heavy darkness as the bus found the road.

‘Might we talk?’ Sue asked.

‘I don’t believe that we have anything to say to each other.’ Kent looked out of the window.

She touched the back of his hand. ‘Don’t be childish,’ she said quietly. ‘It doesn’t suit you.’

‘You don’t know me,’ he said, looking at her. ‘If you thought that I would be happy with this _arrangement_ then you don’t know me at all.’

Sue sighed. ‘It isn’t as simple as you suppose.’

‘This is not my first dance, Sue. Believe me, I’ve heard all the reasons and all the excuses. “Things have changed,” “I felt trapped,” “he’s emotionally distant,” “I was bored,” “I was hurt,” “I wanted him to pay attention.” Don’t even begin with “he’s no longer attractive,” or “it was just sex.” That insults all of us.’

‘It would certainly not have been purely sex,’ she said. She looked him up and down. ‘I am not without an appropriate appreciation for your body,’ she said. ‘But I also enjoy your company.’ Sue folded her hands in her lap. ‘I like you, Kent.’

He shook his head. ‘Is that supposed to be an explanation?’

‘No.’ She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. ‘I feel a frisson with you that I haven’t felt with Sean in some time. I acted impulsively. That was wrong. I should have concluded my previous relationship before responding to your interest.’

Kent set his shoulders. ‘Would it be inappropriate for me to ask if you intend to do so?’

‘I do.’ She tilted her head. ‘Does that help?’

‘It does. Thank you.’ Kent cleared his throat. ‘It occurs to me that I should ask Joe if I can use his satellite phone to check the hospitals again.’

Sue nodded. ‘That sounds sensible.’

Kent stood carefully, swaying as he walked towards the front of the bus.

Maxwell was frowning as he steered.

‘Isn’t driving a bus beneath your dignity, General?’ Kent asked.

‘It’s the middle of the night,’ Maxwell said. ‘Do you think bus drivers grow on trees?’ The bus shuddered on the ice. ‘Besides which, I have a three-month old son and a teenage step-daughter. Dignity is a thing of the past.’

Kelly looked up from her tablet. ‘He’s grumpy that I called a visiting congressman a cutie.’

‘To his face,’ Maxwell said.

‘He didn’t mind,’ Kelly said.

‘That doesn’t help.’

Kelly grinned at Kent. ‘My dads both hate it when I like boys.’

Maxwell sighed. ‘She means myself and her biological father.’ He looked across at her. ‘A little more precision when you speak, please.’ He glanced at Kent. ‘She’s got half the school thinking that I’m dating her father.’

Kelly smiled slightly as she stood up. ‘I need to visit the head.’

‘She seems a little calmer,’ Kent observed as she wobbled off along the aisle.

‘I don’t think she’s ever seen a body before,’ Maxwell said.

‘I should hope not. Might I use your satellite phone to call our colleagues?’

Maxwell handed it over. ‘We saw a lot of tracks. It looked like a herd of elephants had gone through.’

Kent was tapping in Amy’s number, when a piercing scream surprised him into dropping the phone. Jonah, who had been dozing, was shocked into wakefulness while Mike made a grab for the near hysterical Kelly. As Maxwell hauled the bus to a squealing halt, Kelly bolted up the aisle and threw herself at him.

‘What on earth is the matter?’ Maxwell asked.

‘I saw him! He was sitting there but he couldn’t have been sitting there because he was still lying there! It’s him under the blanket, Joe, but he’s sitting on the seat!’

Maxwell patted at her shoulder. ‘Kelly, the man we picked up was certainly dead.’

Jonah leant towards Sue. ‘I said there was a ghost.’

Mike turned to the back of the bus. ‘Uh, guys? There’s definitely someone there under the blanket.’

‘Who is it?’ Sue asked.

Mike held up his hands and backed to his seat.

Kent stalked down the aisle. As he passed Sue’s seat she stood and followed him. Kent took a deep breath as they reached the back seat. The shrouded shape was rigid.

‘Whoever it is has been dead for hours,’ Sue said.

Kent pulled back the blanket.

‘Who is it?’ Jonah asked.

Kent forced himself to reach out and check the pulse. The skin was cold to the touch. He tried not to look at the expression of terror carved into the features.

Sue silently shook her head.

‘I don’t understand,’ Kent said. He stepped back and turned to face the others. He scanned the seats. The one empty seat that shouldn’t have been.

‘Who the fuck is it?’ Mike asked.

‘It’s Gary,’ Kent said.

‘What?’ Jonah asked. ‘But he’s…’

‘But he was just here,’ Mike said.

Sue shivered and stepped aside so that they could see the body. See Gary’s body with it’s frozen rictus of terror. ‘He’s _still_ here.’

The wheels squealed as the bus was thrown from side to side. Something whirled about with a scream and then streamed up into the chill night air.

The End


End file.
